Merry Christmas Kate
by Bbolt14
Summary: Castle and Beckett experience the first snow of the season together, leading Kate into a search for her Christmas present from Rick. Rated T for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

"Beckett it's snowing!"

Rick rushed over to the window of his loft, smiling at view of New York. "Come look!" he exclaimed, turning to look at her.

Kate sat at the dining room table, a mouth full of spaghetti, smiling as she tried to eat. Once she swallowed, she wiped her mouth and stood up.

"Castle, it is just snow. You've seen it before" she said, walking up to the window with him.

"But Beckett, it's the first snow this year. The first snow is the best."

Kate had to admit, she was excited as well. She'd seen snow hundreds of times in her life, but there was something about the first snow of the season that was magical.

"Come on Beckett! Let's go outside" he said, grabbing her hand before she had a chance to respond. He pulled her from the window and out the front door of the loft, linking his fingers with hers as he pulled her to the elevator.

"Castle we don't have on shoes!" she yelled, trying her best to hide a smile as he bounced up and down.

"Simple technicalities, my dear Detective. We don't need shoes! We're only going out for a minute."

Rick turned to her and flashed an award winning smile that made her weak at the knees. He squeezed her hand, refusing to let go in fear that she wouldn't go outside with him.

Kate squeezed his hand in reply, and smiled back at him. Richard Castle was the only man she knew how could get her out of her comfort zone. If Josh had suggested she go outside, in New York, in December, in the snow, she would have killed him. But was Castle, it was easy to let some of her guard down.

The elevator doors opened, and Castle pulled her again, running across the lobby of the building toward the front door.

"Ready Beckett?" he asked, before removing his hand from hers and placing it on the small of her back. He pushed her through the door and out onto the streets of New York.

Snow fell onto their heads, and they both looked up with a smile. Kate pressed her lips together and smiled, before drawing her bottom lip between her teeth.

Rick looked at her and smiled, wrapping his right arm around her waist and pulling her into him for a side hug.

"Merry Christmas Kate"

"Merry Christmas Rick"


	2. Chapter 2

"We should go back inside" Beckett began, linking her arm through his, pulling him back inside the building.

"Aw come on Beckett. Let's go play in the snow."

"Castle, we can play in the snow tomorrow. But right now, it is 6:30, and I'm hungry. And you know how I get when I am hungry."

"Yes ma'am" he said, holding his hand in the elevator door, gesturing for her to walk in first.

The elevator doors shut, and they both lean against the wall. Kate waits a moment before leaning over, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek.

"Thanks for the snow Castle" she says, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she walked out of the elevator and back into his apartment.

Rick stood, stunned, for a moment before following her. She was in the loft, in the dining room, her mouth full of food once again.

"Turn on some music." Kate stated after she swallowed her food.

Kate had been spending a lot of time around the loft. She and Rick we're getting closer in their relationship and people could tell. They would leave the precinct together, go to his loft, eat dinner, and watch a movie. At first, it was once a week, then, twice, and now they were together every day. She didn't mind either. She liked being at Castle's loft.

Rick turned Christmas music on, and walked into the dining room with her. The Christmas music played softly in the background as they both ate their food. Kate reached out for her wine glass, when Rick grabbed her hand with his.

"What's up Castle?" She asked, squeezing his hand with hers.

"Dance with me" he said, quickly pulling her up out of the chair and into his arms.

Kate yelped before falling into his arms as he twirled her around the kitchen. "Castle! What are you doing?" She asked, wrapping her arms around his neck as he held her waist.

"Dancing with my favorite Detective, of course" he said, locking his arms around her waist to pull her in closer.

Kate laid her head on his chest and breathed in his scent, smiling softly as she began singing along to the music. 'Baby it's Cold Outside' played through the speakers of the loft, and it felt strangely comforting to her, being in his arms.

"I ought to say no, no, no Sir"

"Mind if I move in closer"

"At least I'm gonna say that I tried"

"What's the sense in hurting my pride?"

They sang along to the rest of the song, their bodies pressed together as they danced. Kate tangled her fingers into his hair, her head resting on his shoulder as they twirled slowly around the living room.

"Kate" Rick whispered, but she pressed her finger to his lips.

"Ssh, no speaking" Kate whispered against his neck, sending a shiver down his spine. He turned his head a little and pressed an open kiss to her throat, causing her to bite her bottom lip.

Kate brought her head up, but his lips never left her throat, placing kisses all along her neck, collarbone, and jaw line. "Castle" she whispered, trembling in his arms as he found all of her weak spots, making her gasp.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that" he whispered into her ear, before pulling away. She looked at him for a moment, then down at his lips, then back up at him, before leaning in and crushing her lips to his.

Rick kissed her back for what seemed like hours, before putting his hands on her hips firmly and pulling away from her. Smiles radiated off of both of their faces, before Kate threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly and whispering in his ear

"Let's eat."


	3. Chapter 3

"Kateeee" Rick drew out, laying his head on the table as he watched her eat. He had finished his food 10 minutes before, and she was purposely eating slowly to annoy him.

It made her smile when he acted childish. True, it was annoying at times, but at moments like this, it made her laugh. "Oh come on Castle. I'm almost done" she said, bringing another fork-full of spaghetti into her mouth.

"You aren't even close Kate. Please eat quickly. I want to play" he complained.

"Play?" she questioned, her eyebrow rising as she took another bite.

"I… um… that's not what I meant… Like…"

Kate couldn't help giggle, finishing the last bite of her food.

"Katherine Beckett, get your mind out of the gutter" he said, before quickly stretching across the table to press a quick kiss to her lips. She smiled against his lips, about to deepen the kiss before he pulled away.

"Come on Castle" she whimpered, sinking back into the dining room chair.

"Not yet. I have another surprise for you." He took their plates into the kitchen and cleaned them off, dropping them into the sink. Kate got up after he'd walked into the kitchen and followed him, standing behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist as he cleaned the plates. She dug her face into his spine and breathed in his scent, smiling.

"You're comfy" she murmured into his back, placing a small kiss against his shoulder.

"And you're beautiful" he said, turning his head, pressing a kiss to her lips. "Are you ready for your surprise?" he asked, turning I her arms to pull her close to him, kissing her again.

"Sure, lay it on me."

"Stand right here" he said, before running off into his office. Rick returned moments later with his hands hidden behind his back.

"What's that?" she asked, but he shook his head at her.

"Do you trust me?"

"Castle, what kind of question is…" she trailed off, but he stopped her.

"Answer yes or no Missy. Do you trust me?"

"Always"

"Then go along with this. I'm going to blindfold you. Okay?" he asked, in which she simply nodded in reply. "Close your eyes." Rick took the bandana behind his back and tied it over her eyes. He started frantically waving his hands in front of her face, and she giggled again, which took him by surprise.

Katherine Beckett never giggled.

"Rick, stop waving at me. I can't see you. Now will you please explain to me what is going on?"

"I'm going to put a piece of paper in your hands. You cannot open it until you hear 3 claps, then count to twenty. Understand?"

"Rick, what are…" she asked, but he stopped her talking by kissing her deeply. He pulled away, and ran his fingertips over the obvious smile that was plastered across her face.

"God you're perfect" he whispered, kissing her cheek. "Do you understand?"

"Yes Castle, I understand your crazy CIA plot."

"Perfect." He kissed her one last time and dropped a paper into her hands, before running out the door. "Have fun Detective!" he called out.

Kate heard the three claps, counted to twenty, and removed the bandana from her face.

The paper in her hands was the cover page of "Heat Wave", folded in half. She opened it, puzzled, and read the contents.

_My Dearest Detective,_

_The clues to your Christmas happiness take place in these notes. Follow your clues, and you will be amazed. This first clue takes you to the place where it all started._

_Always,_

_Richard Castle_


	4. Chapter 4

Authors Note: Thank you so much to those who have reviewed, story alerted, and favorited. You all have literally made me extremely happy, and I'm glad you're enjoying this story as much as I am writing it. Chapters should continue daily, so long as my schedule doesn't get to crazy. Thanks again! It means a lot to me knowing people like the story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing (sadly)

* * *

><p>"What the…" she questioned, shaking her head. Kate pulled her phone out and called Rick, tapping her foot as she wandered around the loft.<p>

"Yes dear?" he asked into the phone.

"Castle, what is this?"

"It's your Christmas present!" Rick was yelling into the phone because of the loud background noise.

"Richard, where are you?" she asked.

"Come find me Katherine." And the line went dead.

"Ugh!" she exclaimed. "Fine if he wants to play that way" Kate mumbled to herself, pulling her boots back on. She grabbed her coat, gloves, and hat, and rushed out the door. While in the elevator, she stared at the note he'd written her.

"This first clue takes you to the place where it all started."

_"Where was the first place I saw Rick"_ she thought, tapping her foot. Seconds later, she knew.

The rooftop party

Kate stepped out of his building and into the snow covered streets. The rooftop where she'd first met him those 4 years ago was a 10 minute walk from the loft, and with the 1ft of accumulated snow, there was no way she was driving anyway. She could see Rick's footprints in the snow, but they had faded away as the snow grew thicker.

On her walk to the rooftop, she contemplated what he had planned for her. This was her Christmas present from him, which caused butterflies in her stomach. She'd only gotten him a new jacket, not knowing they would be in a sort-of relationship by the time she'd been in his apartment for an hour. Kate got to the rooftop, flashed her badge at the doorman, and took the elevator up to the penthouse where the party she'd met him at was.

The rooftop was decorated in gorgeous Christmas lights, and there was a decorated tree in the middle of the roof. Kate walked up to the tree, and her phone rang.

"Beckett" she answered, without looking at the phone.

"Figure it out yet?" Rick asked.

"Castle, this is gorgeous. But where are you?"

"I'm not giving up my secrets. So you like the roof?"

"It's wonderful" she said. Kate saw a box under the tree and knelt down, holding the phone to her ear with her shoulder as she began opening the box. She gasped at the present inside, and Rick chuckled at her from the other line.

"Have fun Detective" he said, hanging up the phone.

Inside the box was a copy of every "Derek Storm" novel he'd ever written. Each copy was signed, and they all contained a special message that described how much he loved her. He knew that his novels had affected her life, and he wanted her to have meaningful copies. Tears escaped her eyes as she read what he'd written in the books.

_Kate, _

_Words cannot describe how perfect you are. You're gorgeous. You're extraordinary. You make all the songs make sense. You are the perfect partner in crime. A writer is nothing without his muse, and I am forever nothing without you. _

_Rick _

It was sappy, yes, but she loved it. Kate brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and smiled, putting the top back on the box. She heard a door open and turned, staring at a man whom she recognized from Rick's building.

"Ms. Beckett, Mr. Castle required that I take that package from you, return it to his loft, and give you this" the young boy said, holding a note up in his hand.

"Thank you very much dear" she said, handing him the box.

"My pleasure Ms." The boy gave her the note, took the box, and escaped quickly back through the door and out of the cold.

"Oh boy, what did he plan now" she mumbled to herself, opening the note.

_Katherine,_

_Nikki Heat. Part you, part me. Your second clue takes you back to the place where you discovered the name of your wonderful alter ego that initially brought us together._

_Richard Castle_


	5. Chapter 5

Authors note: Sorry this took me so long to update! Life's been crazy. Hopefully i'll have more than this Chapter up by the end of today.. Hope you enjoy it! Like I said before, thank you all so much for the favorites, reviews, and story alerts! It's amazing and i'm thankful for all of you taking the time to read this story.

I'm thinking about writing another story that isn't Christmasy as well... Lemme know if you all think I should.

Thank you so much for everything!

* * *

><p>"The place where I discovered the name of Nikki Heat…" she questioned, walking back into the building and into the elevator. On her ride down, she replayed her first few encounters with Rick before finally remembering where she'd learned about the name 'Nikki Heat'.<p>

The bookstore

She smiled and folded the note up, slipping it into her pocket. The bookstore held memories that she loved, surprisingly. Kate knew she'd reacted badly when she first heard the name Rick had chosen for her alto ego, but she really didn't despise the name as much as she acted. The name was unique. It wasn't completely her, but Nikki was. And she appreciated that.

When Kate got outside, she started her walk to the bookstore with only one thing on her mind.

Richard Castle.

He was truly perfect for her, and Kate knew that she was too stubborn to admit it. Rick was everything right in a man. He was sweet, smart, creative, and he really did love her. And Kate knew that whether she wanted to admit it or not, she loved him too. He was perfect, and his being perfect made her the happiest girl in the world. But in her mind, she didn't deserve him. Kate walked through the snow, when her phone rang.

"Beckett"

"Hello beautiful."

"Rick, what are you planning? This book is amazing. Thank you so much" she said with a smile.

"You deserve nothing but the best. Where are you headed?"

"I'm supposed to head to the bookstore, right? That's where the clue is leading me?"

"I can't give you hints. You'll just need to find out for yourself. But you did go to the correct spot first. This snow is getting bad. Do you want to keep going?"

"Of course I do. Castle, how long have you known me? When am I one to give up on a challenge?"

"That is very true… Alright, see you soon Detective" he said, and the line went dead.

Kate arrived 10 minutes later in front of the bookstore and stepped inside. There was a little old woman behind the desk, with bright smile on her face.

"Ah! Detective Beckett, we've been expecting you" she said, rushing from behind the desk to escort Kate inside.

"Please, call me Kate."

"Well, Kate, you look freezing? Aren't you freezing? You must be freezing! Nothing but skin on those bones" the woman rambled on. "Would you like some coffee? Of course you would. Ricky loves to talk about your love for coffee… What was it that he said you like… Oh sugar, he told me recently. Ahh! I remember. Grande skim latte, two pumps sugar free vanilla. That's quite a delicious coffee order you've got. Please deary! Have a seat over there." The woman rushed off to get coffee, and Kate couldn't help but chuckle. She followed the woman's orders and sat down at one of the chairs in the bookstore. When the woman came back, Kate spoke up.

"I feel at a loss, you know my name, but I haven't learned yours" she said softly.

"Oh of course! My names Jane Parker, I'm the owner of this here bookstore." Jane sat down next to Kate and smiled, handing her the coffee.

"Thank you very much Mrs. Parker. How do you know Rick? I don't think I've known anyone that he actually allows to call him Ricky."

"Little Ricky practically grew up here! Martha and I have been friends for a very long time, and so when Ricky was born, she'd bring him here all the time. Even now that he's a big-shot, he still comes in here and talks too little old me. And now Kate, he mostly talks about you!" The woman said with a huge smile and a laugh. "Now now, don't let me keep you. When I'm gone, hit the play button on that there remote. It was wonderful meeting you honey! Tell Ricky that I said I, and not to keep you away from me for too long. Merry Christmas!" Jane pulled Kate in for a huge hug, and left the room.

Kate's face was bright red as she smiled. Meeting people from Rick's past made her happy. When Jane was gone, she hit the play button on the remote and turned to the video screen that was hanging from the ceiling. The room went dark, and the video began.

Rick popped up on the screen, waving and grinning like an idiot. "Well, it seems like you've ended in the right spot because you're watching this video. Boy Katherine, finding just one Christmas present for you is like finding a needle in a haystack. So, I've created this little presentation to show just how much I really adore you." Rick faded from the screen, and the song "Stop and Stare" began playing. Pictures of them flashed through the screen, intercepted by other pictures as well. In every photo, she had a huge smile on her face, whether with Lanie, Esposito, Ryan, or Rick. Pictures of her as a kid with her Mom and Dad flashed up as well, and it brought tears to her eyes. As the song ended, a final picture of Rick and Kate staring into one another eyes popped up. When the picture faded, Rick came back onto the screen. "I hope you enjoyed it" was all he said, and the video turned off.

Kate wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled happily, pressing her lips together. Jane came back into the room and smiled at her.

"Kate Beckett, that boy loves you more than I've seen him love another human being. Don't let him go." Jane handed Kate a note, and before Kate could say thank you, Jane escaped from the room once again. She unfolded the note and wiped the tears from her eyes one again so that she could read it.

_Katherine Beckett,_

_I hope you loved it. This clue leads you to the best burgers in town._

_Rick Castle_


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Two chapters in one day to make up for my lack of chapters this week. Have fun reading!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

><p>"Remy's" she said breathlessly. Their burgers were to die for, and her and Rick went there frequently after a long case. She got up and put the note into her pocket, walking up to the door.<p>

"Thank you very much Mrs. Parker!" Kate called out, before leaving the bookstore. She walked out into the snow and pulled her jacket tightly around her.

The snow had accumulated to Kate's knees, and she was freezing cold. The coffee had helped her warm up some, but it wasn't doing her much help in this weather. Kate pulled her gloves on and shivered as she took the long walk to Remy's. Her phone started to ring again, and she pulled it out of her pocket.

"Beckett" she answered, without looking at the screen.

"Kate! What's up girl?" Lanie asked.

"Hey Lanie. Nothing much is up, just on a little scavenger hunt. What's up?"

"You're asking me what's up! Girl, I'm looking out the window of my apartment, checking out the snow, and what do I see? Your skinny ass walking down the sidewalk. Why are you outside in this?"

"Rick planned a little Christmas present for me, and I have to find it. And it just happens to be insanely snowing outside. That's all. Shouldn't you be with Javi anyhow?"

"Rick?" Lanie squealed into the phone. "You and Writer Boy are on a first name basis now? I need details girl."

"It's really nothing major Lanie. We were eating dinner at his apartment, and then started dancing, and then we kissed, and now I'm looking for my Christmas present all over this town. That's all" Kate said, blushing as she mentioned their kiss.

"YOU KISSED HIM!" Lanie screamed into the phone. Kate heard Esposito laughing in the background. "Javier Esposito, pay up because I won the bet" Lanie exclaimed.

"Bet?" Kate asked, her eyebrow rising.

"I… Um… Glad to hear you're happy Kate. Please don't freeze to death out there in the snow. I love you too much. Have fun girl."

"Love you too Lanie" Kate chuckled, hanging up her phone. She continued her walk to Remy's, thinking only about the fact that Rick was now in her life more than she'd ever thought he would be. He was right for her. Between her past relationships with Will, Demming, and Josh, she knew Rick was right. Ever since their undercover kiss, she had a feeling that he was good for her.

Kate arrived at Remy's and walked inside. They weren't very busy, and as Kate walked in, their regular waitress smiled.

"Hiya Detective Beckett" the teenager said, pointing to a table over in the far corner. "Mr. Castle said over there" the girl said, before scooping a tray into her arms and walking to a table.

"Does he have everyone in on this?" Kate mumbled to herself, walking over to the table in the corner.

There was a note on the table, with a cup of coffee next to it. Kate sat down and took a sip of the coffee, opening the note and smiling.

See you soon

Kate drew her bottom lip into her mouth and smiled, folding up the note. She'd wanted to see him since their little charade began. She took a sip of her coffee and smiled, sinking back into the booth. The bell that rang with the door opened dinged, and she shot her head up, her eyes instantly expecting to meet Ricks, but she saw someone else.

"Dad?" Kate's father walked over to the booth and sat down across from her, smiling.

"How ya doing kiddo?"

"Wonderful. Dad, what're you doing here?"

Jim Beckett smiled and took his daughters hands into his. "Rick called me earlier and told me his plan, and I couldn't not help him out. Gosh Katie, this guy. I've never seen a man go through so much to win you over. But he doesn't matter to me."

Kate squeezed her father's hands and smiled. "Dad… I…" she started, but he stopped her.

"Katie, you're happy. I can see it in your eyes. It's that look your mother always had when she looked at you. It's incredible."

Kate smiled and squeezed her dad's hands again, sighing happily.

"Dad, I'm happy. Beyond happy, actually, I'm crazy about him."

"Be good to your heart kiddo. Don't spend all of your time waiting around. Let yourself be happy." Jim leaned over and kissed his daughters forehead, smiling before he got up from the booth. He pulled a note out of his pocket and handed it to her.

"Have fun kiddo."

Kate took a deep breath and opened up the note, smiling.

_Precinct._


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for reviewing and everything else! It means a lot to me.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, because if I did, there would be babies.

* * *

><p>Kate shoved the note into her pocket and walked up to the waitress. She pulled a five dollar bill out of her pocket, but the girl waved her off.<p>

"Mr. Castle got it. See you later Detective Beckett."

"See ya Alli" Kate said. She ran out into the snow and smiled happily. It had finally stopped snowing, but accumulated a little more. Kate trudged her way through the snow, taking the walk to the precinct. It had got a lot colder while she was in Remy's, but she wanted to tough through it. Kate Beckett wasn't a quitter. And with the amount of fun she'd been having through her scavenger hunt, she didn't want to give up now.

Kate pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Rick's number, holding the phone to her ear.

"Yes my dear?" Rick asked into the phone.

"Castle, when is this going to be over? I want to see you" she pleaded into the phone.

Rick smiled and laughed, the sound of a car driving past him loud in the background.

"Rick, where are you? I want to find you now."

"You're getting there Kate. I promise. But you just need to stick with this. You got my note at the coffee shop, right? You're almost done. You trust me right?" He asked.

"Richard Castle, I trust you with my life. So believe me when I say, I believe everything you're saying. I just miss you." Kate whispered the last part quietly into the phone, part of her hoping he wouldn't hear her.

Rick smiled, loving the person he was talking to. "I miss you too. Now hurry your beautiful butt up so I can give you your present."

"Beautiful butt? Have you been looking?" she asked, and he gasped into the phone.

"I… Um…" he began, but she laughed into the phone.

"Don't worry Castle, I don't mind. See you soon?"

"See you soon Detective."

Kate hit the end call button on her phone and slid it back into her pocket, trudging through the snow to get to the precinct. She arrived at the precinct and went inside, riding up the elevator to the homicide floor. She walked in and smiled. The precinct was empty, and she loved it.

"What does he have planned here?" she asked herself, looking around the precinct. There was no sign on anyone having been there for hours, which was odd for that time of night. Her men had off, but the night shift should have been there. Kate walked into the break room to make herself a cup of coffee but stopped short, smiling. There was a note taped onto the espresso machine, with her name written on the front of it. She pulled the note off and turned on the machine, opening the note up.

_Kate,_

_You're almost there. Have fun finding your present. It's hidden._

_Rick_

Kate sighed and tossed the note onto the counter. She grabbed her phone and called Rick again, tapping her foot as she waited for her coffee.

"Yes?" he asked her.

"Where is the last note? I want to come see you."

He could tell from the tone in her voice that she missed him. "You need to search. You'll find it. Just think about it. Where would I hide something?"

"Knowing you, you would hide it somewhere completely obvious."

Rick smiled into the phone. She knew him too well. "Good luck" he said, hanging up the phone.

"Ugh!" Kate cried out, looking around the precinct. She couldn't see another note anywhere. Kate wandered around, sipping her coffee, searching every open space she could think of. She checked the elevator, the break room, the boy's desks, and the Captains office, all before walking over and collapsing into her chair. She replayed Rick's words over and over in her head.

"_Where would I hide something?" _

Kate sighed and took another sip of her coffee before putting herself into his mind. "If I was Richard Castle, and I wanted to piss off Kate Beckett, where would I hide something…" she mumbled, kicking her feet up onto her desk. She sat there and thought for a moment, before the idea of where he would hide her present popped into her head.

"Aha!" she called out, practically falling out of her chair. Kate collapsed onto the floor and crawled over to his chair, running her hand along the bottom of the sear. Her fingertips raked over a piece of paper and she ripped it off the chair, a huge smile spreading across her face. Kate pulled the note open and read the final letter, smiling happily as she did.

_Good job honey, you did it. Here's your last clue._

_A good old fashioned duel was always one of my favorite past times…_

_Rick_


	8. Chapter 8

Authors note: Thank you all for everything! The reaction to this story in not what I expected. It's probably going to end soon, but I'm going to continue it in a sequel. At least, thats what i'm thinking...Also, the bold part is her flashback.

Disclaimer: I own nothing (Sadly)

* * *

><p>Kate smiled as she read the note, repeating the words "last clue" over and over in her head. She was overly excited, and in her excitement, had no idea where to go for her last clue.<p>

"A good old fashioned duel" she repeated, walking back into the break room to make a coffee for her walk to wherever she had to go. She made the coffee and thought about her last clue, before pulling her phone out. She dialed Rick's number and waited for a minute before he finally picked up.

"Castle"

"Where am I supposed to go?" she asked.

"Now, what fun would it be if I told you where you were supposed to go? It would take away from the entire spontaneity of a scavenger hunt" he said.

Kate rolled her eyes and took a sip of her coffee. "Will you at least give me a hint? Please?" she asked.

"Fine, I suppose you can have one hint. Hmmm. Okay, I've come up with your hint. But I must let you know, I'm going to hang up directly after I say it. So with that, I'll see you soon Kate. Plaza" he said, and the phone went dead.

"Plaza, dueling… Oh!" she yelled, dropping her coffee on the counter. She knew exactly where to go. She shoved her phone into her pocket and ran to the elevator, bouncing up and down in excitement while she waited for the car to arrive. Kate wanted to see Rick, and she wanted to see him now.

As the elevator door opened, a uniform began to step out.

"Excuse me!" she yelled, pulling them out of her way to get into the elevator.

"Detective Beckett, where are you going?" the boy asked.

Her face lit up with a smile as the doors closed.

"Central Park."

When Kate left the precinct, she began running through the snow covered streets. It was difficult to run, in her four inch boots, through the snow, but she was determined to make it to the park in record time. As she ran, her phone began to buzz in her pocket.

"Beckett" she answered, breathing heavily as she attempted to run faster.

"You figure it out yet?" he asked.

"Maybe I have, maybe I haven't" she said, trying to come off sneaky, but it wasn't working.

Rick laughed into the phone and let out a huge sigh, smiling as well. "Alright then Katherine. I might see you soon. Be careful in the snow."

"See you soon Rick" she said, and hung up. Kate looked at the street signs she was passing. She was only about two blocks away from the park, but then she had to find him in the park. She picked up her speed and ran to the edge of the park, before she began thinking.

"_Why would he pick the dueling case?" _she thought to herself, walking through the park to where she remembered they'd found the body from that case. She kept contemplating the case in her head, running through everything that happened between them in those few days. And then one specific memory popped in her head that made her stop dead in her tracks.

**She needed to talk to Rick about the case, and much to her surprise, his outrageous Steampunk outfit he wore as he answered the door, especially with the case they were working on. An old fashioned duel over a girl in Central Park. Working with Rick really brought out the odd cases, and this was one of their weirdest. But the extremely odd thing was the question she heard when she answered the door. **

"**How do you know when you're in love?"**

**She thought for a minute about the question, before responding. **

"**All the songs make sense" **

Kate smiled at the memory, and began running again. All the songs make sense. She was beginning to realize everything that his scavenger hunt meant. She ran through the park until coming up upon one of the rock formations in the center of the park. He was standing in front of it, facing the rock, staring up at it. He had his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on his heels like he'd been waiting hours for her to show up.

"Rick" she let out breathlessly, before walking toward him. "Richard Castle" she called out and he turned around, smiling at her.

"You found me" he said, walking toward her. "Ready for your final pr-" he began, but she clapped her hand over his mouth.

"Rick, I love your way with words but I swear if you don't shut up" she said before crushing her lips onto his.


	9. Chapter 9

Authors note: Happy Holidays everyone! I had fun writing this one. Lemme know what you all think please! Your reviews and everything are amazingly appreciated, i love it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

><p>Rick stumbled back a little and caught her in his arms, pulling her close to him in a breathtaking kiss.<p>

Kate pulled back and ran her hand over his cheek, staring lovingly into his eyes. "This is the best Christmas ever" she said, caressing his cheek.

"You haven't even got your present yet" he said, leaning in and pressing a kiss to her cheek. His arms were drawn around her waist and he pressed her to his chest, with no thought of ever letting her go.

"Doesn't matter" she whispered into his neck, nuzzling him as she pressed kisses along his jaw line, down his neck, and to his collarbone.

Reluctantly, he pushed her back from him. Kate whimpered and reached her arms out like a child, gripping the lapels of him jacket to pull him back in for a searing kiss.

Her lips moved lovingly against his, pouring out all of her emotions. He stopped her and pulled away.

"Katie" he whispered, pushing a stand of her hair back behind her ear. "Let me give you your present. Please" he pleaded, leaning in and pressing a quick kiss against her lips.

"Alright, I need to give you yours too. Not that it's going to be anything compared to this, but I tried" she said, taking his hand. As they began walking, Rick quickly scooped her up bridal style into his arms.

Kate yelped and smacked his chest. "Castle, what are you doing!" she yelled, a small laugh escaping her lips.

"I've made you run around this town more in the last few hours than you would normally do in a day. The least I can do it carry you around" he said, kissing her quickly.

"Well, if you're going to put it like that" she murmured, leaning in and pressing her lips to his neck. She began nipping at him, undoing one of the buttons on his shirt to slip a hand in, running her fingertips over his warm chest. As she moved her lips, he carried her through the park.

She pulled away with a giggle and ran her fingertips over his neck.

"You left a mark didn't you?" he asked.

"Mhm" she mumbled happily. "Payback is terrible. Where are we going?" she asked, looking around the park.

"It's a surprise."

"Well, are we almost there?"

"You ask too much" he said with a smile.

"This coming from the man who has followed me around for the last four years, asking every question that came to his mind. I have a lot of catching up to do" she said, kissing him again.

Rick shrugged and carried her up to the door of the ice rink.

"Rick, its" she paused, looking at her watch "10pm, no one is going to let us ice skate" she said, planting her feet on the ground as he set her down.

"You underestimate me Detective" he said, pressing his hand to her lower back, pushing her into the door of the ice rink.

They walked in, and a young woman greeted them at the desk. "Ricky!" she called out and Rick smiled, wrapping one arm around the blonde woman for a hug. Kate's face suddenly turned red with jealously and she hid her face quickly, thinking.

_I have no reason to be jealous… Right?_

Rick drew his arm around Kate's waist and pulled her in close. "Kate, this is my cousin Elle. Elle, this is Kate, the woman Mother and I told you about."

Elle smiled and clapped. "Oh! They've told me so much about you" she said, drawing Kate in for a hug.

"It's so nice to meet you" Kate said with a smile, taking a quick step closer to Rick when Elle let go of her.

"You too. Okay Rick, here's the key. Just drop it off whenever. You know where everything is. Alright you two have fun" Elle said, dropping a key into Rick's hands.

"Thanks Ellie. I'll talk to you soon" he replied, and the girl left. Rick grabbed Kate's hand a drug her into the shoe room, instructing her to sit. She complied and sat on the bench, crossing her legs.

"How did you manage to get the entire ice skating rink?" she asked, pulling her hair to the side to braid it.

"Well, my cousin Elle is married to the owner of the ice rink. So, when I called her up, he handed over the keys and said that we could use it as long as we wanted. Ready to skate Detective?" he asked, pulling a pair of shoes her size off the shelves. He grabbed his own shoes as well and walked over to Kate as she unzipped her boots.

After they both changed their shoes, Kate and Rick took hands and stepped out onto the ice. Kate moved swiftly across the ice, smiling as Rick gripped onto the wall.

"You alright Honey?" she asked, skating back over and taking his hands. She leaned in and kissed him softly, moving slowly backwards on the ice, dragging him with her.

"What ever happened to "Oh trust me it wasn't pretty?"" he asked her, stumbling on the ice.

Kate caught him with a laugh, pulling him back up. "You remember that?"

"I remember everything. Everything you've said, done, all of it. You're extraordinary."

Kate's face turned bright red with a blush as she leaned in and kissed him.

"Thank you" she whispered, running her hand over his cheek.

"For what?" he asked, pulling her into his arms, skating with her around the rink.

"The best Christmas ever" she said, kissing him again.

"Oh just you wait Detective. It isn't over yet."


	10. Chapter 10

Okay guys, this is the final Chapter. Thank you all so much for your support while I wrote my first fanfic. The response was amazing, and i'm so happy people took the time to read it. With that, sorry this update took so long! I got a new laptop and i'm still getting used to everything. Enjoy the end of the story!

* * *

><p>Kate and Rick danced around the ice rink, catching one another as they fell. After about an hour of skating, Rick was standing against the wall, watching as Kate slid around the rink, laughing and smiling. He'd never seen anything more gorgeous in his life. As he watched her, he saw the look in her eye that she got whenever she was about to do something devious.<p>

"Kate…" he trailed off, and she bit onto her bottom lip before skating quickly toward him. She sped up more before stopping short, spraying his pants with ice from the rink, falling into his arms.

Kate let out a loud laugh and threw her arms around his neck, leaning in and kissing him sweetly.

"Ready to get going?" he asked, pulling his arms around her waist and holding her close.

"Where to next?"

"The Old Haunt for a drink. Your present is there."

Kate smiled and ran her hand over his chest, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Okay. Your present is at your loft."

They got their shoes changed and started the walk to the Old Haunt, fingers intertwined with one another's as they walked through the snow.

"I love the snow," she said, staring up at the sky.

Rick stared up at her, a look of complete awe in his eyes. "How come?"

"It's… well… when I was a kid, my Mom and I used to go out every time it snowed. We'd come to the park, build snowmen, make angels... Everything. It was so much fun. Even after she died, I would walk around during the first snow of the season" she trailed off, looking down at her feet.

Rick drew his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him as they walked. She laid her head down on his shoulder, reaching a hand up to wipe a tear from her eye.

"I miss her," she whispered into his neck, tilting her head up and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"I know you do," he whispered back, kissing the top of her head.

They walked to the Old Haunt in silence. When they got there, Rick pulled the key out of his pocket and opened up the door, locking in behind him when they were both in the bar.

"Grab anything you like. I'm going to run down to the office" he said, catching a quick kiss from her before walking down the steps.

Kate grabbed a beer and opened it up, taking a drink before sitting at the barstool. She leaned against the bar; looking around at the décor Rick had set up. There were photos along the wall, mostly the ones she had seen during their case. She knew he wanted to keep the bar's original feel, and loved that about it. She saw a photo on the wall and stood to get a better view of the picture.

In the frame was a picture of her and Rick together. The picture was from one night when they had gone to be bar for a drink. They were staring at one another, both laughing, and Kate had her legs draped over his lap. The photo was gorgeous, and she hadn't realized it'd been taken.

"I see you found the new picture" he said, dropping a box onto a table before wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Kate nuzzled back into him and smiled, tilting her head to the side, kissing him. She set her beer onto the table and turned in his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. She twirled her fingers into his hair, deepening the kiss. Rick lifted her up with ease and set her on the table, moving in to stand between her legs, capturing her face in his hands for a searing kiss.

After a while, they finally broke for air. Kate rested her hand on his chest, panting. "Damn" she breathed out, smiling up at him as she let out a little laugh.

Rick smiled and pressed a kiss into her hair, slipping his hand down, squeezing her ass. "You're incredible" he said, kissing her hair again.

Kate eyed up the present on the table, biting onto her bottom lip as she drew the heel of her boot over his leg. She had wrapped her legs around his hips during their kiss, and had no intention of letting him go anytime soon. "That for me?" she asked, twirling a strand of his hair around her finger.

"Possibly. The only way you're going to find out is if you let me go" he whispered, kissing her quickly.

Kate bit down onto her bottom lip and contemplate what he said, unwrapping her legs from around his hips. He walked to the other table and got her present, bringing it back over to her.

"If you don't like it, I can t-" he began, but she stopped him.

"Rick, I'm going to love it. I promise."

Rick stared down at the box for a minute before handing it to her. It was a fairly large box, wrapped up with a large bow.

"It's cute" she said happily, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Kate untied the ribbon and unwrapped the present, pulling open the box. She stared down at the contents, a smile warming across her face.

"Oh Castle" she trailed off, leaning up and kissing him deeply. "I love it" she said, caressing his face with her fingertips.

"You haven't even opened up the entire present" he said, smiling at her.

"Doesn't matter. I love what I see" she said, looking back down at the box.

Inside of the box was a photo album, but taped to the front of the album was a key to his loft.

"I want you there all the time Kate. Anytime you want to be there, you're more than welcome. I promise you that." He kissed her again, and then nudged the box into her lap some more. "Open up the rest of it."

Kate opened up the photo album and sucked in a breath. The first picture was of her as a baby, with her Mom and Dad holding her, staring at her. She flipped through the pictures, showing photos of her through her life, in order. 4th grade graduation, her 'wild phase' as a teenager, high school graduation, college… All of it. "Rick where did you get these" she asked softly, her fingertips running over a picture of her and her mother.

"Your dad. I called him up and he helped me find all of the pictures."

She flipped more through the book, coming upon photos of her and her precinct family, and then photos of them. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes and slowly began running down her cheek. Rick brought her face into his hands, wiping her tears.

"You're crying. Kate, I can give your dad the pictures back. You don't like it, its okay. We can pretend it never happened. We can-" he began, but she pushed the present off her lap, leaned in and kissed him.

Kate broke the kiss and stared into his eyes. "I love you. Richard Alexander Rodgers, I love you."

He drew her in quickly, kissing her hard on the lips. Their lips parted and they kissed more, holding one another tight in their arms. She broke the kiss for air and ran her hands over his face, smiling up at him.

"I love you too."

Kate smiled and drew his face in for another long kiss. She pulled away moments later, her left hand tangled into his hair, her right pressed onto his chest.

"This is the best Christmas ever. Thank you, so much. Merry Christmas Rick."

"Merry Christmas Kate."

* * *

><p>Thats it! I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. I'm going to continue the story into a different one that isn't Christmas based, focusing more on their life together and what not. It should get started within the next few days. Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, story alerting, and favoriting.<p> 


End file.
